Conventionally, a very simplistic approach is used to determine fracture initiation points along a wellbore. The first fracture point is selected at random or based upon gas shows encountered while drilling (with weight given to low gamma sections), and the subsequent fracture points are evenly spaced apart from one another. This approach is based on the assumption that there is very little geological and mineralogical variation along the length of the wellbore. Although this is a simple and easy method for distributing the fracture treatments equally along the wellbore, it does nothing to target potentially productive intervals. Instead, operators almost blindly choose fracture points with no consideration for sound engineering. As a result, roughly 40% of completion clusters never produce hydrocarbons.
Accordingly, in view of the foregoing shortcomings, there is a need in the art for a fracture completion strategy which utilizes sound engineering to enable operators to select optimal fracture intervals, thereby increasing the efficiency of fracture placement and improving well production.